I tried to do my first ever 10k on Saturday and totally failed. I underestimated the climb at the beginning and was worn out, gave up and started walking. I hated myself. Need to find a new route and get back at it.

I tried to do my first ever 10k on Saturday and totally failed. I underestimated the climb at the beginning and was worn out, gave up and started walking. I hated myself. Need to find a new route and get back at it.

All races are tricky and we all learn the hard way. I still remember my first 1500m on track I passed the first 400m in the front... I finished it by miracle and had to spend the next two hours laid down on the floor throwing up.

Because of the adrenaline it is very difficult to evaluate how fast you are running, it is very common to start very fast and at the same time feeling that you are going slow... I deliberately try to always start very slow, and slow down even more after the first 500m or so (and still my fastest km is usually the 1st one). Just remember for the next time that all the extra energy you consume by going fast at the beginning will need to be paid later in the race and with a very high interest rate.

Anyway there are always more races to come and in the next one for sure you'll improve a lot.

Aw, efcliz, those days are rough but we all have them. You're getting into the kind of mileage/duration where you have to really start paying attention to fueling and hydration and pacing. When you try it again maybe concentrate on going out slow. If you can make the first two miles feel easier than you think they should, you'll have enough in the tank for the last two.

Thanks for the kind words! I have planned a new route for Sunday (I do a few shorter runs before then). A friend at work has also offered to go with me after work one day next week. I run with him at lunchtimes, and he's very experienced. I think having someone with me will help me out too.

Thanks for the kind words! I have planned a new route for Sunday (I do a few shorter runs before then). A friend at work has also offered to go with me after work one day next week. I run with him at lunchtimes, and he's very experienced. I think having someone with me will help me out too.

Yeah, I think M'Toes has said wise words. Having someone who will go with you after work one day will also help! Definitely take your time. Longer runs for me are always slower and get slower. My split times are awful but I'm ok with that. I'll eventually get it better but for now, I get the miles in.

_________________"Vegan to me means Oreos for breakfast." -Poopiebitch"tl;dr: I quit working to drink beer paid for with gift cards" erikasoyf*cker

I tried to do my first ever 10k on Saturday and totally failed. I underestimated the climb at the beginning and was worn out, gave up and started walking. I hated myself. Need to find a new route and get back at it.

No self-hating! You tried it, it didn't work out, and are you lying on the couch crying? Nope, you're getting back out there. Success!

I did my 10k this morning!! I switched it up and did a 8.9k that I'd done before but added on to the end, so that mentally I knew I could do the first part. It was really hard to run past my house for that extra 1.1k (actually 1.3k because it was a bit over 10), but I'm thrilled that I did it!

One good news and one bad news.Good news: I destroyed my PB in the 15km race today, and I still need to check the partial times because if my maths are correct I also lowered my PB in 10km.Bad news: I might have set the bar too high this time.

What can I say... just be patient... I used to run and compete a lot as a student for my university, after I graduate I continued running but without competing that much, my times stayed for 8 years a little above the PBs I did while studying... And suddenly this year I've been running incredible and without any effort. I told my coach 3 years ago when I started to train with him that my goal with running was to be in top shape for the world veteran championships, because once I retire in something like 30 years I want to become a "professional runner". So apparently this long term training approach is working. :)

I did a half marathon this weekend and it went awesome! I'm trying to figure out what I did right, because I've done 3 other halfs and they did NOT go like this. In all the other ones, I was really miserable for a significant part of the race and then I was super sore the rest of the day and at least all the next day. This time I was just merrily running along the whole time, and then not sore at all! And my times in all of them were comparable (ranging from 1:57:17 to 1:58:30). The only things I can think of are: 1) this course was not that hilly, and all the other halfs were super hilly; 2) for the past couple months I've been running only 3 days a week and never two days in a row (to manage achilles tendinitis) - in the past I probably ran at least 4 days a week. I'm doing the hilly one again in a few weeks and I would love to have it not suck.

I ran my first half marathon yesterday and it didn't go great! My running partner and I both agreed that it stopped being fun for us after mile 10. We're going to stick to 15K's and below for the foreseeable future. We just don't run enough to keep up that kind of distance without completely destroying ourselves in the process.

But now that that's over with, I can go back to running whatever distance for fun and not because I've got something to train for!

well, now you know, right? i think i'm not super keen about this idea that first you do 5k then you do 10k then you do a half and then you do a full and then you become an ultrarunner.... maybe it's just the type A anal retentive thing that makes me see it like that. i like the idea of running the distance you like to run for the fun of it.

Yeah the fun thing is what it really comes down to. This year was the first year I've gone beyond a 5K outside of when I ran in the Army. I think the half was more than I am willing to commit to this hobby. The guys I run with and I don't go out there to win anything. We joke and talk and complain the whole time! This year, I wanted to push myself and now I've learned a valuable lesson about setting realistic goals. I've got plenty of room for improvement in the shorter distances that I can manage.

That's what I'm doing too. I posted on FB last week how proud I was to have run 10k and almost immediately someone posted that I needed to start training for a half marathon. I'm doing this for fun, for me, and I'm loving it. I think the whole idea of having something to train for would ruin it for me. I am definitely pushing myself, but I think that the minute I was pushing myself for something that wasn't for fun, I'd start hating it.

That's what I'm doing too. I posted on FB last week how proud I was to have run 10k and almost immediately someone posted that I needed to start training for a half marathon. I'm doing this for fun, for me, and I'm loving it. I think the whole idea of having something to train for would ruin it for me. I am definitely pushing myself, but I think that the minute I was pushing myself for something that wasn't for fun, I'd start hating it.

Haha, and this apparently never ends. I was buying myself a 26.2 sticker for my car after my marathon and the guy ringing me up at the running store says "oh, we'll have to get you to 50 next!" Um, no thanks? Ultrarunning is almost a different sport entirely, for one thing. And geez, is a marathon not enough of an accomplishment?! I happen to really like the half marathon distance but no one who doesn't enjoy running that much should feel like that's the only worthy goal.